Captions

Displays automatically generated or predefined captions for audio and video content to make spoken content readable.

What does this setting do?

Captions and subtitles make audio and video content accessible for people who have difficulty hearing or understanding spoken language. They also help when following content in noisy environments, with fast speech or with foreign accents. Depending on the operating system, captions can be enabled for system-wide media, calls and apps. The quality of automatically generated captions varies by app and content.

Instructions for different systems

Version: iOS 16+

Open Settings > Accessibility > Subtitles & Captioning. Turn on Closed Captions + SDH to automatically show captions in supported apps. Under Style, you can customise the appearance (font, size, background).

For real-time live captions: Open Settings > Accessibility > Live Captions and turn on the feature (requires iOS 16 or later, iPhone 11 or newer).

Version: Android 10+

Open Settings > Accessibility > Live Captions. Turn on Live Captions to automatically display spoken content in media as text. Alternatively, live captions can be quickly toggled from the volume panel.

Note: Live Captions work entirely offline and support multiple languages.

Version: Windows 10/11

Open Settings > Accessibility > Captions. Turn on Live captions to display spoken audio content as real-time text. The appearance (font size, colour, background) can be customised under Caption settings.

Note: Live captions work locally on the device and do not require an internet connection.

Version: macOS Ventura/Sonoma

Open System Settings > Accessibility > Captions. Enable Live Captions to display audio content as real-time text. Under System Settings > Accessibility > Caption Style, you can adjust the font size, colour and background of the caption window.

Often mentioned in relation to the following conditions:

Mild Hearing Loss – Difficulty hearing quieter audio cues, voice messages, or notifications.
Auditory Processing Disorder (APD / AVWS) – Difficulty processing auditory information, especially inconsistent or complex sounds.
Tinnitus – Sensitivity to audio notifications or constant noise leading to concentration difficulty.
Age-related Cognitive Changes – Slower processing, reduced working memory, and difficulty with complex navigation.
ADHD – Attention-deficit / hyperactivity-related difficulties such as distractibility, impulsivity, or sensitivity to visual motion.

Commonly used for the following difficulties:

Mild Hearing Difficulty

Users with reduced hearing may miss quiet alerts. Louder tones, balanced audio, or visual cues can support recognition.

Difficulty Understanding Audio Content

Dialogue in videos, podcasts or voice prompts can be hard to follow – especially with background noise, fast speech or unclear pronunciation. Captions and audio settings can make …

Sound Sensitivity

Sudden or loud system sounds can be uncomfortable or overwhelming. Lowering volume, reducing alert sounds, or enabling vibration-only modes can help reduce stress.

Other settings frequently used together

Mono Audio

Also commonly used for 2 of the difficulties listed above.

Reduce Loud Sounds

Also commonly used for 2 of the difficulties listed above.

Background Sounds

Also commonly used for 1 of the difficulties listed above.

Relation to WCAG guidelines

For setting to be effective, a website or app often must be technically implemented in such a way that it respects operating system and browser settings.

Developers and designers should follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The following WCAG criteria are particularly relevant for this setting:

1.2.2
1.2.4

Open WCAG List